Professor Alex Blaszczynski BA(Econs), MA, Dip Pysch, PhD, MAPS

Professor Alex Blaszczynski

Alex Blaszczynski is a Professor and Director of the University of Sydney’s Gambling Treatment Clinic and Chair, Responsible Gambling Research Group. He is a researcher and clinical psychologist with a long history of involvement in treatment and clinical research covering a range of impulse control disorders, in particular, pathological gambling.

He has published extensively on the topic of gambling, carried out randomized treatment outcomes studies using behavioural interventions, assessed the prevalence of depression and suicidality, the relationship between crime, gambling, and personality characteristics of impulsivity and sensation-seeking in pathological gamblers. He has developed a conceptual pathways model explaining the aetiology of pathological gamblers, evaluated the impact of changes to the design of electronic gaming machines. He has authored or co-authored books, scientific articles, reports and papers; conducted numerous training workshops; was chairman of the Working Party for the Australian Psychological Society and committee member of the Australian Medical Association’s position papers on problem gambling. He is the Editor-in-Chief of International Gambling Studies.

In 1995, Professor Blaszczynski was a co-recipient of the American Council of Problem Gambling Directors Award, and in 2004, the National Centre for Responsible Gambling senior investigator’s research award for his work in the field of pathological gambling. In 2013, the NSW Government’s Responsible Gambling Fund awarded him an excellence award for his contributions to gambling. In 2014, he received the American National Council of Problem Gambling’s Lifetime Research award.

Disclosures:

Professor Blaszczynski has had financial professional dealings with the gambling industry and various State and Federal governments directly and indirectly over the last three years including research funding, personal fees for professional consultancy, honoraria for grant reviews and theses examination, royalties for published books, and funding and expenses covered to attend and present at conference and government meetings from:

organisations that are funded directly or indirectly from the gambling industry or from government levies on the gambling industry or government funding including the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre, the Responsible Gambling Trust, Manitoba Gambling Research Program, Ministerial Expert Advisory Group (Federal Government), and honoraria and expense reimbursement for training programs and workshops conducted from government funded problem gambling counselling services

government funded agencies including the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming, & Racing, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Gambling Research Australia, Australian Department Social Services

Non-industry or government agencies including the National Association for Gambling Studies, National Council on Problem Gambling, Le Comité d'organisation Congrès international sur les troubles addictifs

All professional dealings have been conducted with the aim of enhancing responsible gambling and harm minimisation policies and practices, training counsellors in the treatment interventions, and advancing our understanding of the psychology of gambling.